Ex-Leafs forward explains difficulty of media pressure in Toronto

Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs can be a great experience for players, but comes with plenty of negatives as well.

One such player who experienced how difficult it can be playing in such a hockey-crazed market is Kris Versteeg, who spent part of the 2010-11 season with the Leafs after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Speaking with JD Bunkis on Sportsnet 590 The Fan, Versteeg explained that sometimes, the Leafs media has a tendency to expect too much from certain players, which can quickly result in scrutiny from fans if those expectations don’t immediately come to fruition.

“When guys come in, they come in with high expectations. The media, the fans, they have this [way] of building these players up to something they’re not, but not actually understanding the value they bring at what they’re doing.”

Versteeg’s comments come as a result of Leafs fans being upset with some of the team’s new acquisitions — Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, and John Klingberg — all of whom have struggled in the early part of the 2023-24 season.

“What happens is, and for myself, a very similar situation,” Versteeg said. “You come in, you have a weak start. I had two points in 11 games. The narrative starts to build. The media starts to build a narrative. The fans start to create a narrative. And then it becomes almost unshakeable. They’re not playing great right now, but I don’t think they’re playing terrible, either, similar to myself. I wasn’t playing good at all, and then all of a sudden the next 30 games I have 30 points. That was never really talked about.”

“It’s hard to dig back out of that in a market where hockey matters so much.”

Kris Versteeg on the high expectations that come with wearing the Blue and White with @JDBunkis.#LeafsForever

🎧 https://t.co/ET2culOX1b pic.twitter.com/To5pazpVJL

— Sportsnet 590 The FAN (@FAN590) November 7, 2023

Versteeg was slightly off on his personal stats during his time as a Leaf, but only slightly. He managed three points in his first 10 games, before recording 28 over his next 30 outings. He wound up scoring 14 goals and 35 points in 53 games with the Leafs before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

The point Versteeg is trying to make is that while fans and media are not happy with the Leafs’ new acquisitions, it is far too soon to write them off. With 70 games still remaining for them this season, there is plenty of time for them to turn things around and prove to be valuable pickups.

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